Gate for bridge approaches



E. F. BROOKE & J..S. TROTT.

.(No Mqdel.)

GATE FOR BRIDGE APPROACHES.

No. 554,767. Patented Feb. 18, 1896.

' TATES EDIVIN F. BROOKE AND JOSEPH S. TROTT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOISt GATE FOR BRIDGE APPROACHES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 554,767, dated February 18, 1896.

Application filed April 30,1895.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, EDWIN F. BROOKE and JOSEPH S.TROTT,citizens of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Gates for Bridge Approaches, (Case No. 1,) of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and eXact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

Our invention relates to gates for bridge approaches, and its object is to provide gates at the bridge approaches adapted to be controlled by the attendant upon the bridge, whereby the gates may be brought into position to block the bridge approaches when the bridge is open and may be returned to their normal position when the bridge is closed again.

In accordance with our invention we provide in connection with the gates operating mechanism controlled from the bridge, a separable connection being provided between the bridge and the gate-operating mechanism whereby the opening of the bridge ispermitted.

In the preferred form of our invention we provide means for operating the gate through the agency of compressed air, a compressedair supply being carried upon the bridge and connected with the gate-operating mechanism through a separable valve, the parts of the valve being adapted to be separated, whereby the bridge may be opened. The compressed air may be employed to directly operate the gates, the gates being normally out of the path of the roadway, and adapted to be moved into the path of the roadway to block the same when compressed air is admitted to the operating mechanism, or means independent of the compressed air may be employed for moving the gate into position to block the roadway, the compressed air being adapted to normally maintain such means out of oporation.

\Ve will describe our invention by reference to the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a bridge equipped after the manner of our invention,

with compressed-air mechanism for controlling the gate. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof.

Serial No. 547,639. (No model.)

Fig. 3 is a view in elevation of the gate and operating-cylinders. Fig. a is a view partially in section illustrating the separable valve and the apparatus for operating the same. Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the separable air-valve. Fig. 6 is a View of a modification of the operating-cylinder. Fig. 7 is a View of a lamp signal for indicating whether the bridge is open or closed and the mechanism for operating the same.

We preferably arrange the gates act so that they normally rest beneath the surface of the roadway and provide means for raising the gates to project above the roadway,thus blocking the bridge approaches when the bridge is open. The gate may extend across only the right-hand approach to the bridge, as illustrated in Fig. 2, or it may extend completely across the end of the bridge, as may be desired. The gate a is mounted upon the upper ends of a pair of piston-rods b b, to the ends of which are secured pistons 12 1) adapted to move in cylinders 19 b Instead of two piston-rods b b a single rod 1) and a single piston b may be employed when found desirable. A pipe 0 communicates with the upper end of each cylinder and is connected with the valve 01, which is provided with a mouth or bell cl, in which a nozzle e, Fig. 5 is adapted to fit.

Within the globe of the valve is mounted a valve-stem (1 adapted to move back and forth in a bearing (1 the stem d carrying at the end a disk d having a rubber gasket 61 upon its face, a spring 01 being mounted between the disk d and the wall of the valve and adapted to press the gasket d against the face of the port (1 when the nozzle 6 is removed. Upon the disk (1 is mounted an extension d which may be in cross-section in the form of a cross, said extension being adapted to move within the port d and to serve as a bearing for the end of the valvestem d The nozzle 6 is pivoted upon the end of an arm f, and is connected by a flexible pipe 6 with a pipe 6 extending to a reservoir 6 provided upon the bridge and 0011- nected with an air-compressor 6 The arm f is connected with a piston f adapted to move within a cylinder f the cylinder being in communication with a pipe f alsoextending to the air-reservoir. A spring f rests between the bearing f, in which arm f is mounted, and the collarf carried upon said arm f, the spring tending to move the arm f in a direction to withdraw the nozzle 0 from the hell (2. hen the pipe f is connected with the air-reservoir e compressed air is admitted to the cylinder f thus moving the piston f forward against the tension of the spring f and thrusting the nozzle 6 into the bell d. The nozzle (2 carries upon its end a projection e, which engages the extension (Z carried upon the valve-stem (1 thus moving the valve-stem back against the tension of the spring (1 and opening the port. In the end of the nozzle are provided outlets or ports c 0, through which the air may pass from the nozzle into the globe of the valve (Z.

A packingring (I may be provided in the bell and adapted to engage the outer surface of the nozzle to prevent the air from passing outward between the bell and the nozzle.

\Vhile the bridge is closed the mechanism occupies the position illustrated in Fig. 4, air being admitted to the cylinder to maintain the nozzle 6 in position within the bell, the compressed air passing from the pipe 0 through the nozzle 0 and valve (1 into the cylinder b, thus moving the piston Z2 downward and maintaining the gate a below the surface of the roadway.

\Vhen it is desired to move the gate into position to block the bridge approach, the compressed-air supply is cut oil from the pipe 6 This may be done by disconnecting the pipe 0 from the air-reservoir and opening the same to the atmosphere in any desired manner. The pressure is thus removed from above the piston b and the piston is raised through the agency of the compressed air beneath the piston that has been compressed by the previous downward stroke of the Diston.

Instead of relying upon the operation of the air beneath the piston for raising the gate a weight maybe provided, as illustrated in dotted lines, adapted to raise the gate when the air-pressure is removed from above the piston. The gate a is thus raised above the surface of the roadway to block the same.

In order to separate the nozzle c from the remaining portion of the separable valve, the pipe f is disconnected from the air-reservoir and opened to the external air, thus permitting the escape or the compressed air therein. The spring f reacts to move the piston f to the left, thus separating the nozzle c from the bell d and permitting the opening of the bridge. When the bridge is closed again the pipe f is connected with the air reservoir, thus admitting air to the cylinder f and moving the piston f to the right to thrust the nozzle (2 into the bell cl. The pipe e is then connected with the air-reservoir and air is thus admitted to the upper side of the piston 11 thus moving the same downward and lowering the gate.

In Fig. 6 the valve d is shown connected with the cylinder 1) beneath the piston b In this case the cylinder is normally disconnected from the compressed-air reservoir and the piston rests at the lower end of the cylinder, due to the weight of the gate. \Vhen it is desired to raise the gate, air is admitted through the pipe f to the cylinder thus moving the piston f forward and thrusting the nozzle 6 into the hell (1. The pipe e is then connected with the aim'eservoir and air is admitted beneath the piston 11 thus raising the same and lifting the gate in position to block the roadway. The pipe f is then disconnected from the airreservoir and opened to the air, the spring f reacting to withdraw the nozzle 6 from the bell (Z and from engagement with the valve-stem (1*, thus- 1 )ermitting the movement of the valv e-stem to seal the port d The compressed airis thus confined beneath the piston and the piston is maintained in its elevated position. The pipe c is then disconnected from the airreservoir. \Vhen the bridge is closed again air is admitted to the cylinder f thus movingthe nozzle 0. forward into the bell. (Z' and opening the port (F, the compressed air within the cylinder escaping through the valved, nozzle 0 and pipe 0 the pipe c being open to the atmosphere.

In Fig. 7 we have illustrated alamp for indicating when the bridge is open, adapted to be used in connection with our invention. Upon a standard 0 is mounted a box 0, provided in the sides toward the roadway and toward the bridge with bulls-eyes o situated at the lower end of the box and with bullseyes 0 on the sides looking up and down the river. A lamp is situated within the box 0, whereby light is emitted through the bullseyes. \Vithin the box is provided a frame 0 of red glass, which may be moved in front of either the bulls-eyes 0 or the bulls-eyes 0, making the light passing through either appear red. The frame 0 is mounted upon the end of a longitudinally-movable rod 11 provided at the lower end with a spring 19'', which tends to move the rod 2') downward to bring the frame 0' between the lamp and the bullseyes 0 J ournaled to the lower end of the rod 1) is a lever r, pivoted at r, the end 0' thereof being adapted to be engaged by the gate a when the sameis lowered, thus raising the frame 0" and bringing the same opposite the upper bulls-eyes 0 Thus when the gate is in its lowered position the upperbulls-eyes, which are seen when looking up or down the river, appear red, thus indicating to any one on the river that the bridge is closed. \Vheu the gate is raised the spring 1) draws the rod 1) downward, thus bringing the frame 0 before the lower bulls-eyes 0 the light as seen from the roadway thus appearing red and indieating that the bridge is open.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with a gate adapted to be moved into position to block the bridge approach, of compressed-air mechanism for op erating said gate, a compressed-air supply carried upon the bridge and adapted to be connected with said operating mechanism, and a separable connection between said air-supply and the operating mechanism; substantially as described.

2. The combination with a gate adapted to be moved into position. to block the bridge approach, of compressed-air mechanism for operating said gate, a compressed-air supply carried upon the bridge, pipe connections between said air-supply and the operating mechanism, and a separable valve interposed in said pipe connections, whereby the pipe connections carried upon the bridge may be disconnected from the remainingportion; substantially as described.

3. The combination with a gate adapted to be moved into position to block the bridge approach, of compressed-air mechanism for operating said gate, an air-supply carried upon the bridge a separable valve adapted to maintain communication between said air-supply and the operating mechanism and means for separating the parts of said separable valve or closing the same together through the agency of compressed air; substantially as de scribed.

4. The combination Witha gate, of gate-operating mechanism adapted to move said gate into position to close the bridge approach, a compressed-air pipe carried upon the bridge and connected with a compressed-air supply, a separable valve normally connecting said pipe with the gate-operating mechanism, a compressed-air cylinder connected with the air-supply a piston moving in said cylinder and connected with one of the members of said separable valve, and adapted in one position to close the parts of the separable valve together and in the other position to separate the same; substantially as described.

5. The combination With a vertically-movable gate, a, normally resting beneath the roadway, of a piston b connected With said gate, the cylinder 19 within which said piston is adapted to move, the separable valve 61 connected with the upper end of said cylinder and being provided with the bell d, the compressed-air pipes carried upon the bridge, the nozzle e provided upon the end thereof, and adapted to rest Within said bell d, the cylinder f connected with said air-pipes, the piston f adapted to move within said cylinder, said piston being connected with said nozzle e; substantially as described.

In witness whereof we hereunto subscribe our names this 23d day of April, A. D. 1895.

EDWIN F. BROOKE. JOSEPH S. TROTT. WVitnesses:

W. CLYDE JONES, GEORGE L. CRAGG. 

